Police looking for Walmart TV thieves

This surveillance photo shows the man police say sneaked 6 TVs out an exit door around 3 a.m. Monday at the Walmart Supercenter in Sterling.

Caption

(Submitted)

Sterling police say this man walked out of Walmart Saturday night without paying for this 42-inch TV.

By STAFF REPORT
news@saukvalley.com
800-798-4085, ext. 501

STERLING – A rash of TV thefts from the Sterling Walmart has police looking for multiple suspects.

Around 3 a.m. Monday, one man made off with six flat-screens worth more than $7,000 by hauling them out an emergency exit and popping them into a waiting minivan, with the help of at least two other people, police said in a news release.

He is described as young, skinny and black.

Similar thefts have been reported at Walmarts in Peru, Ottawa and possibly multiple other Walmarts in northern Illinois within the past few weeks, the release said.

And around 9 p.m. Saturday, another man walked out of the store at 4115 E. Lincolnway with a 42-inch TV in his shopping cart that he did not pay for, police said in an earlier release.

That man is white, about 40, 6 feet tall and about 220 pounds with short, brown hair. He was wearing a green hooded sweatshirt, light-colored jeans and dark shoes. He got into the passenger side of a black two-door car, possibly a Chevrolet Cavalier, the release said.

The two thefts aren't related, police say.

Anyone with information on either incident is asked to call Sterling police, 815-0632-6640, or the anonymous reward hotline, Crime Stoppers, 815-625-7867.